Guidance

How to use the online NCTS

Updated 29 July 2024

Electronic declarations and messages

You can find full guidance on the completion of a transit declaration in:

How to fill in the fields and boxes

The relevant law on completing various New Computer Transit System (NCTS)聽electronic declarations and messages are available in:

  • appendix III of the聽

How to amend your declaration

When using the Electronic Data Capture Service (EDCS), if your electronic declaration is first rejected (IE16 message), amend the declaration and resubmit it.

罢丑别听NCTS聽web service also lets you amend invalid declarations when you receive an IE16 rejection message.

Cancelling your declaration

You can send an electronic 鈥楻equest for Cancellation鈥� (IE14) if your declaration has not yet received the 鈥楻elease for Transit鈥� (IE29) message generated. You can also contact the office of departure offline.

You can request cancellation after release of the goods, but only if transportation of the movement has not started.

Printing the Transit Accompanying Document (TAD) and list of items

You can print the TAD and list of items at the declarant鈥檚 premises, if the printer is of acceptable standard and can print the TAD and its barcode. You can also ask customs at the declared office of departure to print out the TAD and list of items.

When using EDCS, the IE29 message with the embedded data to print the聽TAD will be sent to the last email address for a specific message sender ID. It鈥檚 advisable to use a single company email address for submitting declarations.

滨蹿听NCTS聽is not available

Check the NCTS service availability.

If you cannot access聽NCTS,听contact the聽NCTS听丑别濒辫诲别蝉办.

Offices or premises

Goods must be in a customs controlled location before you can make a declaration, unless you鈥檙e either:

  • an authorised consignor
  • making a declaration with 鈥榩re-lodged鈥� in the agreed location of goods code field, putting the declaration into the 鈥榮ubmitted鈥� state

Customs at the office of departure will move the declaration to 鈥榓ccepted鈥� state when the goods are presented there.

Use of approved premises (authorised location) to end full common transit movements

Before you can use simplified procedures under NCTS,听your authorisation details must be set up on the聽NCTS聽database. These include details such as your:

  • controlling office of destination
  • authorised location codes

This information will be taken from your authorisation details.

Where to present your goods

Present your goods to the office of destination specified on the聽NCTS declaration. Exceptionally, you may present goods and end the transit movement at any approved office of destination under community transit. Except when the movement has a 鈥榩rescribed itinerary鈥� with separate rules and conditions.

Broken seals or part of the load missing

If seals are broken before arrival, the authorised consignee should notify customs before opening the doors. If you find the load does not match the description or list of items, you should immediately notify any irregularities to your control office of destination. If they have already given you unloading permission, then you must catalogue your findings in the 鈥榰nloading remarks鈥� message.

Restrictions on goods

There are no restrictions on the classes of goods you can make electronic declarations for.聽NCTS聽can handle all types of goods including those classified as 鈥榮ensitive鈥�. Relevant legislation is in聽.

Number of items you can include

NCTS聽can handle up to 999 items per declaration, but NCTS聽web users are limited to 99 items. For more details, refer to the聽Transit Manual Supplement.

How to mix T1, T2 and T2F status goods on a declaration

If your consignment includes European Union goods, use T- in the header information. Then confirm whether the goods are T1, T2 or T2F status at item level.

Give the full identity of the transport at the office of departure

Include sufficient information to identify the transport in the 鈥業dentity at Departure鈥� field (box 18). This field is mandatory on the聽NCTS聽and for all community transit movements by road, rail, sea, or air.

However, principals are sometimes not aware of the identity of the transport at the time of making an聽NCTS聽declaration. They can apply for a concession to enter these details in box 55 before presentation of the goods at the office of destination.

Send applications to the National Simplifications Team at the Central Community Transit Office with the following information:

  • the circumstances needing the concession
  • a list of the offices of departure concerned
  • arrangements to make sure the identity and nationality of the means of transport are entered in box 55 of the聽TAD聽before presentation at the office of destination

For more information, read the Transit Manual Supplement.

The transport route

If a prescribed itinerary for the movement is specified, this route must be used.

Where to present the consignment

狈辞尘颈苍补迟别诲听NCTS聽offices of transit will receive an electronic message to expect the consignment to report to their office as it crosses the frontier.

Offices of transit will arise during most transit operations. This will be when crossing between:

  • the UK and third countries
  • Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and either Northern Ireland or the EU

There are no offices of transit on the borders between:

  • Northern Ireland and EU member states
  • EU member states